On the 22nd of February 1944 an American B17 Flying
Fortress bomber crash landed in a Sheffield park. The ten
airmen on board were killed. The plane was part of the huge
American Eighth Airforce operation. During the 1008 days
that the 8th took part in the war 45,000 of their men were
killed or injured and 5000 planes were lost. The average
life expectancy for the crew of a B17 was fifteen missions.
The Mi Amigo, as the plane was nicknamed, was based at
Chelveston in Northamptonshire. In February 1944 it was
involved in high level daylight bombing raids against
strategic targets. Vast quantities of high explosive were
dropped yet despite the efforts of the bombardiers only 14%
of the bombs landed within 1000 feet of their targets.
These missions were extremely dangerous for the airmen and
losses were high. On the worst day of the campaign 68
Flying Fortresses, each with a crew of ten were lost. The
Mi Amigo was damaged by enemy fire and finally failed over
Sheffield. Without radio contact the pilot's intentions
will never be known but he probably saw the park as a
possible last chance to land safely. The plane overshot the
open space where children were playing and crashed into the
adjoining woods. A ferocious fire broke out and attempts to
rescue the crew were futile. The pilot Lt. John C.
Krieghauser was posthumously awarded the Distinguished
Flying Cross, the citation for which praises him for
avoiding the houses which lay in his path. The site of the
crash is marked by a small memorial which was erected at
the time of the 25th anniversary of the crash. I became
interested in the event after chancing upon this memorial.
My work surrounding this subject was shown at the Mappin
Art Gallery, Sheffield to coincide with the 50th
anniversary. A limited edition pack of cards was a further
development, serving its own way as an alternative
memorial.